YOUR BRAND ON PURPOSE
Your Brand on Purpose by Amanda Rey, MA and Ramien R. Pierre, Ed.D. The Importance of Brand There comes a point in one’s career when technical competence alone is not sufficient to achieve career advancement. In fact, the combination of technical competence and the demonstration of emotional intelligence is often the deciding factor between candidates who are considered good versus exceptional. What does that tell us? It indicates that how we manage ourselves - our time, our stress, our work style - and how we build and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders -direct reports, supervisors, or industry peers - within the professional landscape is just as valuable or potentially more valuable when considering criteria for career advancement or industry transitions. AMANDA REY, MA is the Senior Program Manager for Custom Client Solutions at the Executive Leadership Council RAMIEN R. PIERRE, Ed.D is the Director at The ELC’s Institute for Leadership Development & Research
T
THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES how can we develop a personal ‘north star’ for ourselves to guide the consistent execution and alignment between our technical performance and our self and social management? The answer is simple: Create and live by your own brand and do it on purpose. We encounter brands every day. Whether it’s the joy of an intense game recalled by the Nike swoosh or the innovation and sleek design inspired by a quick glance of the bitten Apple, brands and brand imagery evoke emotion, a suite of products, and trust or distrust. The same is true for your own brand. The ELC community knows this to be true. In fact, 91% of Black professionals surveyed by The ELC reported having a personal brand. In a world where a solid work product alone isn’t enough to secure the promotion, one must be able to separate oneself from peers by evoking emotion and trust. Developing a brand, your own north star and calling card, 11
